Wittenberg U going online only Monday, Clark State online all week over Springfield threats
Wittenberg University classes will be online only Monday and all sporting events and other activities are being canceled for a second straight day at its Springfield campus because of threats of violence related to false claims about the city's Haitian immigrants, the university announce Sunday.
Meanwhile, Clark State College is going to online classes this entire week at its Springfield campuses and other locations because of threats of similar threats of violence.
The actions were taken in response to the latest in a series of threats against government offices, schools, hospitals and other facilities in Springfield since former President Donald J. Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, began sharing false information about immigrants in the city 45 miles west of Columbus stealing and eating pets.
Wittenberg students with field, clinical, or other off-campus experiences Monday are being told to follow the protocol of the agency where they are placed. Professors will communicate their expectations to their students.Faculty and staff are also expected to work remotely Monday, except for essential employees. All events, athletics, and activities, which were canceled Sunday, will again be canceled Monday.
In addition, all Wittenberg academic facilities will be locked Monday.
"University administrators recognize that the city of Springfield has experienced an increase of threats to local government, businesses and schools in the past week," Wittenberg officials posted to the school's website Sunday. "We take this threat seriously..."
The university received a threat Saturday by email of a shooting planned for campus, which prompted the cancellation of all events Sunday. At 1 p.m. Sunday, another emailed threat warned of a bomb in a red Honda Civic. Police removed a car matching the description from Bill Edwards Drive, which bisects the Wittenberg campus, but said there was nothing suspicious found. By late Sunday afternoon, however, Wittenberg decided to hold remote classes only Monday due to the developing situation.
The university urged students, faculty and staff to "exercise extreme precaution," be alert to their surroundings and report suspicious activity to Wittenberg police at 937-327-6363. or 937-327-6231. Officials said they might order a lockdown "if we learn more from the ongoing investigation."
Clark State College announced Sunday it will move from in-person classes Monday through Friday to online virtual classes only at its Springfield and all other locations. Citing "recent events in Springfield," Clark State said it was "taking proactive measures to ensure the well-being of all students, faculty and staff."
In a release, Clark State said the college received an email threat late Saturday via the admissions link on its website which raised concerns about a possible shooting. On Sunday, the college received an emailed bomb threat to the Springfield campus. Both threats are the same that were made to Wittenberg.
Clark State said it took immediate action in contacting Springfield police to ensure the campus was secure and safe. However, "out of an abundance of caution," Clark State said it is closing all campuses from Monday through Friday and will conduct all instruction virtually. Employees should work from home an all activities are canceled, incluing the Rhodes Hall open house.
"We understand the anxiety that such incidents can cause and we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and care," the college said on its website. "As a proactive measure, Springfield police will also increase their security presence on campus, and we are working with our wellness team and partners to provide additional counseling services.
"We remain dedicated to providing strong academic programs and will work to ensure minimal disruption to our educational environment, but we will always prioritize the safety and wellness of our students, employees and community. We appreciate your understanding during this challenging time."
Clark State holds most of its academic programs at its Leffel Lane campus in Springfield, where its student services, bookstore, dining, gym, classrooms and administrative offices are located. However, the college also has fire, EMS, criminal justice and police academy programs at Brinkman Education Center and the Hollenbeck Bayley Creative Arts and Conference Center, both on Limestone Street; and college's Performing Arts Center is located on South Fountain Avenue, all in downtown Springfield.
In addition, Clark State has programs in Beavercreek, Bellefontaine and Xenia.
Threats to Springfield institutions exploded after presidential debate
Trump, in a nationally televised debate Tuesday with his Democratic rival for president, Vice President Kamala Harris, falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating cats and dogs. Trump also claimed that about 20,000 Haitians in the city are there illegally, even though a majority came to the United States under the federal government's Temporary Protected Status program because they were fleeing gangs and economic insecurity in their home country.
On Sunday, Vance acknowledged during an interview on CNN that he has been spreading rumors. “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people then that's what I'm going to do,” he said.
Gov. Mike DeWine, who pledged at least $2.5 million in state funding last week to help Springfield officials with health care access and road safety, called the threats to public safety over the approximately 15,000 Haitians state officials say are in the city "a very sad thing."
Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck, who said the city has found no credible reports of pets being harmed, injured or abused by members of the Haitian immigrant community, called the spreading of misinformation "disappointing."
The parents of an 11-year-old boy who was killed in a traffic crash last year caused by a Haitian immigrant said last week that an "incessant group of hate-spewing people" was using their son's death for political gain. Haitian immigrants, many of whom were invited to Springfield by employers unable to fill jobs, have said they are experiencing increased threats and harassment.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Clark State, Wittenberg U go online only over Springfield threats
